Mail-bag catching and delivery apparatus



sept. 25,1923. 1,469,091 J. M. KERR MAIL BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS 'Filed June 2v; 1921 v4 sheets-she@ 1 Sept. 25 1923. 1,469,091

J. M. KERR MAIL BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed June 2'1'. 1921 4 sheets-sheet 2 @2% mja wxTNEss: I ATTORNEY Sentq 25 1923.

J.M.KERR

MAIL BAG'CATCHING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed June 27. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTO ATTORN EY WITNESS:

J. M. KERR `MAIL BAG CATCHING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 25 1923.

Filed June 2'7. 1921 o k. n "Y Patented Sept. Z5, i923.

'unirse sir-aras tite-,aai

'naait ortica;

JOHN ivi. KEER, or LOUISVILLE, irnivrucirnnssienon or ons-HALF Tol JOSEPH i 'i wanneer.

MAIL-BAG CATCHING DELIVERY APPARATUS.

`Application filed .Tune 27, 1921. Serial No. 480,736.v

To all whom t lmay concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN M. KERK, Va citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ot Kentucky, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Mail-Bag Catching and Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements,

in mail receiving and delivering apparatus and has oranobject the provision oit an apparatus by means of which mail matter may be delivered from and received by a train while the latter is in motion; l i

Another object is the provision of an apparatus of the above type in which the mail delivered at a station is received within an enclosed station receiving device, which, in addition to being` protected from the/elements, also acts to prevent the mail trombeing handled by unauthorized persons.

Another object of the invention is theprovision of a mail handling apparatus in which the train carried delivering mechanism is housed beneath the sameso as to prevent unnecessary crowding and danger of accident to occupants of the car, the position otl the apparatus being such as not to extend be yond the sides of the car, so that danger of contact with adjacent objects is obviated.

A further object of the invention is the l provisionof an apparatus of the above character, which is simple 'orn construction, positive in operation and which will handle the mail in a manner'to minimize injury thereto. With 4the above and other objects in view, theinvention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appendedclainis.

.ln the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a fragmentary portion ot a mail cai showing the application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a tragmentary'view of a portion of the car, p arts being broken away and part o the car delivering device being shown in plan and other partsY in section, the view with its housing in section. Y Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the apparatus'in position for delivercated at D,

alsoshovvin'g the stationwreceiving device ing mail trom the ear delivering device into the-,station lreceiving device.

Figure A is an enlarged sectional view on the line l-- of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts', theV apparatus includesa car, delivering device which is indicated generally at A and a station receivinggdeviceinf:

which is indicated generally-at@ and a station delivering device, the latter being indi- V. This provides means whereby mail matter may be deliveredfrom a station into a passing car. y 'Y Referring particularly to the devices A and B, the former includes a hopper il() which extends through' the floor et the car and is provided on its top with a cover 11, which is normally closed.

This A"hopper eX- l tends only a short distance above the floor of"- the car and contains means whereby the mail matter' may be guided into an ejecting trame l2 which is located beneath the bottom of the car. desired shape, but is shown as rectangular and is housed within a pocket 13 whichis formed within a casing or trarne 14.- This ej ecting frame l2is hingedly, secured 'at one corner as indicated at l5 and, is movable out of and into the pocketfl?) being guided by the top and bottom walls of the `housing or trame la. The bottom wall forms a bottom for the ejecting frame 12. rihe pocket v13 is of triangular shape and its rear wall -16 forms a stop to limitthc inward movement 4 of the frame l2.

This trame may be of any suitable or v Pivotally secured to the corner* Voithe i pocket opposite the hinge l5, as indicated at 17, is one end of a rodl 18. The opposite end of 'this'rod is pivotally securedl as shown at within the pocket and for, this purpose has connected thereto oneend of aspring 23,

Vwhose opposite end is connected'toa stationlary member as shown at l24. i

" Inorderto cushion the inward movement loo Vie

. mounted as shown at 32 Whileithe outer end of the outer section 30. is arranged to enf gage ka `U-shaped member or loop 38 which extends trom one corner ot the electing frame 12. This end of the section 3Q is also provided With a notch 84 and "when the arm Vengages the loop 38, the traine 12 is moved Lout vof Ythe'pocket upon its hinge 15, While theV ejecting arm sections move upon their V.pivot and hinge so that the loop 33 engages inthe notch 34 and' the. :trame 12 is puiled outo'tthe pocket a sufficient distanceto per-1 mit the mail matter to tall through the frame into a receiving compartment 355 provided in thehousing 28. rlhis movement ot the sections 29 and 30 and jot the ejecting member is Aresisted by means of springs 36 and 37 Which lare connected to the respective sections and act to return the arm to its nor- Ymal position, the Vreturn movement being limited by arcushioned stop in the torni of V a spring 38.

`After the mail matter has been deposited Within the hopperY 10` it Will Y:tall into the l ejecting frame 12," when the latter is engaged `by' the ejecting arm 'of the station receiving device B, the said trame Will be Withdrawn from the pocket and the mail matter deposited in the receiving compartment 35 Vvas just described. Access to the compartment 85 -is had through a door 39, which may be supplied With a suitable lock 40 so as to `prevent the mail being tampered with by un- ,authorized persons.V

The Astation delivering device D and the car receiving device C arev substantially the same as that described in connection with the devices A and B. The device D is herein shown as mounted upon the top ot the casing Which houses the station receiving delviceV B, a suitable supporting structure 41 being provided for this purpose. The device D is located within a housing 42 which is provided With a receiving hopper 43 extending abovethe top and communicating- With the interior. The Vmail matter may l thus be deposited Within this hopper and Veo received vvithin a pivotally mounted eject-V ingvframej44 which is simi-1arte the trame 12 previously described andvvhich is operated bythe receiving device C. The vframe 44 operates Within a pocket 45 provided 'inY f the housing 42 `and llocated Within this housing isr aY returning block 46 Which is yconwhich is actuated by aspring` 48.l The cushioning means 49Vsimilar to the meansl previously described is connected With the rod 47 by a rod 50.

The receiving device C comprises a secnected tothe frame 44 by a rod 47 and i tional arm 51 which is constructed in a'man- Y ner similar to the sectional ejecting arm previously described, and which is adapted 'Y to engagea loop 52 extending from the frame 44. rihe arm 51 is located ivit-hin a housing 53 ivhicliis carriedby the vmail car and this action is resisted by springs 54 VVand V557 which also serve tofieturn the arm to its normal position.' rl'he Vreturn ot this arm'is cushioned by a spring 56. rlie mail matter ejected trom the iframe 441s received Within aV compartment 57V provided inthehousing 53 i and the latter is movable transversely ot the car.- For this purpose there is Yprovided Aa track 58 which is arranged Within the upper portion of the car and When in receiving position the device yC projects through an opening59'provide'din the side oft the car. When at the limit of its inward movement the casing of the device C acts to close thisV opening, vvhile'the outward movement of this casing is limited by stops 60 which are carried by 'each end ot the casing and which engage suitable stops 6 1 provided at Y each end of the opening 59.

coY

The invention is susceptible of various Y changes in its form, proportionsand minor Vdetails `otconstruction and the right'is herein. reserved to make such changes as properly fall Within the scope ot the appended claims. Y Y.

Having Vdescribed .the invention what .is claimed is: o Y Y 1. An apparatus/ot thev class` described embodying a car delivery devicegsaid device comprising a pocket located uponthe Voutside ot the car, a hopper communicating Aivithufthe interior of the pocket,a horizontally movable pivoted: e'jecting trame fmovable outv of and into thepocket vand llO means whereby Ythefejecting trame Vmay Vbe operated.l Y

2. An apparatus ot the class described embodyingja car delivery'device, said device comprising a pocket ylocated upon theroutiis side ot the car, a hopper communicating with the interior ot the pocket, al-iorizon'-V tally swinging Vspring returnedV ejecting traine located Within and movableoiit of the pocket,r means tor moving` thefframe out- Ward and means for cushioning the returnY Y movement of the trame. i

3. An apparatus of the class described embodying a car delivery device, said .device comprising a 4pocket located upon .thepout-V.

side of the can a hoppergcoinmiinicating movable out ot the pocket? means `for mov- Vwith the interior of the pocket, aspring returned ejecting framellocated Within and the ejecting frame,

ing the frame outward and a pneumatic cushioning element for retarding the return movement of the frame. Y

4. An apparatus of the class Vdescribed embodying a car -delivery device, a horizon` tally arranged pocket included in said device, a horizontally movable ejecting frame open at its top and bottom and normally housed Within the pocket,r means located adjacent the car track forV moving the ejecting frame outward from the pocket and means for returning the ejecting frame to normal position. f

5. An apparatus of the class described embodying a car delivery device, said device comprising a pocket located upon the outside of the car, a hopper communicating With the interior of the pocket, a pivoted ejecting frame movable out of and into the pocket, a rod having one end secured to a spring actuated pivotally mounted member secured to the other end of the rod and moving the frame the rod and means located adjacent the car track for moving the ejecting frame outf Ward. f

6. An apparatus of the class described embodying a car delivery device,` said device including a horizontally movable 'ejecting member and means including a pivotally mounted sectional arm located adjacent the car track for Voperating the ej ecting member. 7. Anapparatus of the class described embodying a car delivery device, said device including a horizontally movable ejecting member, means` including a pivotally mounted sectional arm locatedadjacent theA ear track for operating the ejecting member, Yand springs extending from opposite sides of the arm andV dis osed in opposite directions for returning t e arm to normal position after the' operation of the ejecting member.` Y

In testimony whereof I aiiix ly si nature.

. K RR.

' JOHN 

